TOMITA’s "Pictures At An Exhibition" - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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ANDREW

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Topic: TOMITA’s "Pictures At An Exhibition"
Posted: February 03 2006 at 18:25

Isao Tomita is a Japan artist which transformed music of various modern classical composers into electronic soundscapes. He released 7 albums between 1974 and 1979. In 1975 he released "Pictures At An Exhibition". His version was clearly based on Ravel's orchestral interpretation of the piece, as Mussorgsky's original was a pure piano-piece, with synthesizer and mellotron in evidence.

I hope to see his works in PA in the future.

horza

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Posted: February 03 2006 at 21:37

Snowflakes are dancing by Isao Tomita is also excellent - he was a pioneer IMO - thanks for the suggestion - I'll pass on the info

Originally posted by darkshade:

Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot.

ANDREW

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Posted: February 04 2006 at 08:49

memowakeman View Drop Down

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Posted: February 06 2006 at 15:49

I went to a cd shop called mix up, and i saw tomita in new age section, i have never listened to more of one song of him.. any suggestion andrew??

Follow me on twitter @memowakeman

ANDREW

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Posted: February 06 2006 at 16:50

Hi memowakeman,

Isao Tomita released many albums transforming music of classical composers into electronic and atmospheric soundscapes. He used various types of instruments: moogs, oscillators, sequencers, filters and mellotrons.

His first album "Snowflakes Are Dancing" (1974) is based on ten pieces by Claude Debussy.

The second album is "Pictures At An Exhibition" (1975)!!!

The third album is an electronic version of Stravinsky's ballet "Firebird", released in 1975.

The fourth album is also an electronic version of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" (1976).

In 1978 he decided to make an album containing material from different composers such as Bach, Strauss, Wagner, Charles Ives, Edvard Grieg, Arthur Honegger, Grigorias Dinicu, John Williams, Rodrigo and Jascha Heifetz. It is called "Kosmos".

In 1978 he released a concept album about "The Bermuda Triangle" using music of Prokofiev.

In 1979 Tomita released "Daphnis Et Chloé", dedicated to the music of Maurice Ravel.

Sean Trane View Drop Down

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Posted: February 07 2006 at 03:59

I agree that Isao Tomita has some stupendous works

I'll PM Philippe to see if he is keen on his inclusion as Philippe is responsible for Electronic prog's inclusion

I had everything in Vinyl until and included to Bermuda Triangle with its flesh colored disc

let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword

Dick Heath View Drop Down

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Posted: February 07 2006 at 05:42

ANDREW wrote:

I hope to see his works in PA in the future.

After W. Carlos, surely!

richardh

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Posted: February 08 2006 at 17:42

I've got the first five albums.Pictures is undoubtedly his best and influenced ELP's rendition that appeared on their 1978 'In Concert' album.Keith Emerson was a Tomita fan apparently!

btw if you ever come across his CD 'Live at Linz' grab a copy! If features some great music especially Vaughn Williams 'The Lark Ascending'.

T.Rox

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Posted: July 16 2008 at 18:45

Talk about bumping an old thread! February 2006, say hello to July 2008

I just happened to score - for the princely sum of 99 cents Australian - an LP copy of Tomita's version of Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition" and was stunned by what this guy does with electronic instruments. (Unfortunately the RCA Red Label album I have does not list the instruments or gadgets used so much about the creation of the sounds is unknown.)

I was thinking perhaps Tomita does belong in PA. This work seems to be a classical interpretation, yet progressive. Bear in mind this is the only thing from Tomita I have heard so there may be other works that would make me think otherwise.

Was Tomita rejected way back in 2006, or is he worth a look at again

Edited by T.Rox - July 16 2008 at 18:48

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...with apologies to Friedrich Nietzsche

Slartibartfast View Drop Down

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Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:11

memowakeman wrote:

I went to a cd shop called mix up, and i saw tomita in new age section, i have never listened to more of one song of him.. any suggestion andrew??

The CD store was called mix up and put him in the new age section? LOL

The only point I'd say against him being here is that did covers of classical rather than write his own stuff. But, I'd put his synthing abilities on par with any of the synth greats already accepted here.

The keyboard credits aren't on the CD version I have either, but here's something from his web site:
A bigger sound for the follow-up to Snowflakes are Dancing. The organ chords on "Catacombs" were apparently created one note at a time, with up to 6 oscillators per note - perhaps 30 or more VCOs for each chord. "Chicks" was widely used on TV and Radio jingles.

Electronically Created by Isao Tomita
Produced by Plasma Music, Inc.
Cover Bas-Relief: Gene Szafran

"Two kinds of loud sounds in the natural world have been growing on the earth since time immemorial. One is the roll of thunder, the other the sound of volcanic eruption. Both of them were feared by mankind for many centuries as the anger of God. However even the roll of thunder has been proved to be the sound caused by an electric phenomenon - that is, it is an electronic sound. Volcanic sound, on the other hand, is produced by the eruption, impact and rubbing of the substances involved; later such dynamic sounds were made by tools - hammers, bellows to make fire, etc. With the passage of time some of these tools were gradually transformed into musical instruments. At present the method of blowing, beating, rubbing, etc., are incorporated into many musical instruments in the symphony orchestra.

Electric musical instruments, on the other hand, did not come into existence until the present century. In 1927 Leon Theremin devised the first electric musical instrument, whose pitch was controlled by placing the hand near to or away from its vertical rod. In 1928 Maurice Martenot, a French musician, invented the ondes martenot, which is considered the father of the present music synthesizer.

It has been said that electric sound is not expressive because it is not a natural sound but an artificial one made by a machine. However, I think that natural sound implies the rustle of the leaves by the wind, the murmur of a brook and the sound of the waves beating upon the shore. In pianos, violins, flutes and other instruments the determination of their musical scales and the methods of their resonance are made by the art of mankind, so their sounds are not intrinsically natural but mechanical.

Compared to the traditional instruments with a history of many centuries, electric musical instruments have a history of only 50 years. In addition, their shapes are not yet established, so the player is apt to become disorientated. Players of these instruments equivalent in ability to virtuosos of the piano or violin have not yet appeared. I think we must make more effort to study electric musical instruments for the future.

I have used a great variety of electrical sound producing and controlling devices, as in my previous album Snowflakes are Dancing. I have been encouraged to believe that my efforts have produced music that is truly expressive, evoking the emotions of a high musical experience. It is very rewarding."

- Isao Tomita

Edited by Slartibartfast - July 16 2008 at 19:15

Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

Ricochet

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Posted: July 17 2008 at 02:16

I'm more of an Isao Tomita fan than a Carlos Wendy one. I have everything, the first two albums are great, while Daphne Et Chloe is almost everything else that matters from a downfall career into covers of Star Wars music, pop tunes and finally a purely horrible album after some of Bach's works.

Passing on that subjective impression of Tomita's work however, I don't think he can fit in progressive electronic. The "great" Carlos Wendy was already rejected, so if this style of electronic technique is pioneering, but not good for this genre, Tomita can't, in normal conditions, be accepted.

Chicapah

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Posted: July 17 2008 at 08:23

I have "Firebird" and it is definitely a different trip altogether but fun. Surprised he's not here in the archives because of all the pioneering work he did with synthesizers in the early 70s.

"Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain